Remote control vehicle

Abstract

A remote-control vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle comprises a first wheel and a second wheel offset along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The vehicle further comprises a device adapted to apply a torque to the first wheel, a sensor configured to monitor the pitch angle of the vehicle, and a control module. The control module is configured to control the torque applied by the device to the first wheel in accordance with the monitored vehicle pitch angle so as to accelerate the vehicle while maintaining the vehicle pitch angle within a range of acute angles. Also disclosed is a second remote-control vehicle, comprising: a first wheel and a second wheel offset along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, a steering system adapted to steer the first wheel, a sensor configured to monitor the roll angle of the vehicle, and a control module configured to control the steering of the first wheel in accordance with the monitored vehicle roll angle while the vehicle is travelling so as to maintain the vehicle roll angle within a range of acute angles. A third remote-control vehicle is also disclosed and comprises: a first wheel and a second wheel, a device adapted to apply a torque to the first wheel, a sensor configured to monitor the pitch angle of the vehicle, and a control module configured to control the torque applied by the device to the first wheel in accordance with the monitored vehicle pitch angle when the vehicle is in free fall so as to maintain the vehicle pitch angle within a specified range of angles.

1 . A remote-control vehicle comprising:
 a first wheel and a second wheel offset along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle,   a device adapted to apply a torque to the first wheel,   a sensor configured to monitor the pitch angle of the vehicle, and   a control module configured to control the torque applied by the device to the first wheel in accordance with the monitored vehicle pitch angle so as to accelerate the vehicle while maintaining the vehicle pitch angle within a range of acute angles.   
     
     
         2 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to adjust the torque applied to the first wheel so as to stabilise the vehicle pitch angle while causing the vehicle to accelerate. 
     
     
         3 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to control the applied torque so as to raise the second wheel and thereafter to maintain an acute vehicle pitch angle while accelerating the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 3 , wherein the control module is configured to raise the second wheel by controlling the applied torque to be sufficient to overcome the gravitational torque exerted on the first wheel by the vehicle so that the load borne by the second wheel is reduced such that the acceleration of the vehicle causes the second wheel to be raised. 
     
     
         5 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 3 , wherein the control module is configured to maintain an acute vehicle pitch angle by adjusting the applied torque so as to counteract variations in the monitored pitch angle. 
     
     
         6 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to maintain the vehicle pitch angle within a range of acute angles such that the centre of mass of the vehicle is maintained within a range of positions horizontally offset from the rotational axis of the first wheel. 
     
     
         7 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the first wheel is a forward wheel and the second wheel is a rear wheel, and wherein the device comprises a brake adapted to apply a braking torque to the forward wheel so as to accelerate the vehicle in the opposite direction to the direction of travel. 
     
     
         8 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the first wheel is a rear wheel and the second wheel is a forward wheel, and wherein the device comprises a motor adapted to apply a driving torque to the rear wheel so as to accelerate the vehicle in the same direction as the direction of travel. 
     
     
         9 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 1 , further comprising a device adapted to apply a torque to the second wheel, wherein the control module is configured to control the torque applied by the device to the second wheel in accordance with the monitored vehicle pitch angle so as to accelerate the vehicle while maintaining the vehicle pitch angle within a range of acute angles. 
     
     
         10 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle further comprises a third wheel. 
     
     
         11 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 10 , wherein the vehicle is configured to apply a torque to the third wheel accordingly when a torque is applied to the first wheel. 
     
     
         12 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 10 , wherein the vehicle further comprises a fourth wheel. 
     
     
         13 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an orientation sensor and a rotation sensor. 
     
     
         14 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 13 , wherein the orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer configured to monitor the orientation of the vehicle with respect to the direction of acceleration due to gravity. 
     
     
         15 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 13 , wherein the rotation sensor comprises a gyroscopic sensor. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the range of acute angles is 30°-70°. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to maintain the vehicle pitch angle at a substantially constant acute angle while accelerating the vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A remote-control vehicle according to  claim 1 , adapted to allow the vehicle to be steered while the vehicle pitch angle is maintained within a range of acute angles. 
     
     
         22 . A computer readable storage medium configured to store computer executable code that when executed by a computer configures the computer to:
 receive data comprising a monitored pitch angle of a remote-control vehicle; and   send a control signal to a device of the remote-control vehicle to control the torque applied by the device to a first wheel of the remote-control vehicle in accordance with the monitored vehicle pitch angle so as to accelerate the vehicle while maintaining the vehicle pitch angle within a range of acute angles.   
     
     
         23 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving data comprising a monitored pitch angle of a remote-control vehicle; and   sending a control signal to a device of the remote-control vehicle to control the torque applied by the device to a first wheel of the remote-control vehicle in accordance with the monitored vehicle pitch angle so as to accelerate the vehicle while maintaining the vehicle pitch angle within a range of acute angles.   
     
     
         24 .- 56 . (canceled)